No Single Vote Should Count That Much
Author: JB Howick, Mayoral Candidate
No Single Vote Should Count That Much
Representative Matt Rosendale's article in the MT 43 News (Feb 23, 2024). Representative Rosendale announced his withdrawal from the Senate race because his opponent had been endorsed by Donald Trump. No American should feel compelled to withdraw their candidacy due to the vote of a single person. No single person should have that much influence in any aspect of American politics. It doesn't matter if you do or do not like Matt Rosendale. It doesn't matter if you do or do not like Donald Trump. The fact that Mr. Rosendale withdrew because of Mr. Trump's endorsement means your vote never mattered. Mr. Rosendale lost that Senate race to one, single vote.
Republicans are not the only group suffering from this deplorable situation. Everyone is holding their breath to know who billionaire entertainer Taylor Swift will endorse. She endorsed Joe Biden in 2020. With 270 million Instagram subscribers worldwide she has considerable influence. Some think she doesn't have that much influence, but let her endorse a congressional candidate in one state and watch how much influence she has. I find Ms. Swift's influence as deplorable as Mr. Trump's, and it is unconscionable that anyone should feel they cannot campaign against and overcome a single vote.
Love him or hate him, Montanans lost a valuable candidate when he decided he couldn't overcome Donald Trump's endorsement. Not your endorsement. Not mine. Trump's. Mr. Rosendale lost the Senate race to one, single vote. And the voter doesn't even live here.
Should we not allow endorsements? You'll find I'm guilty. I've put political signs on our storefront. But I'd like to believe if I thought or knew that I had so much influence that my one endorsement could ensure a loss, if not a win, I wouldn't post the signs. I believe that's a responsible use of my influence.
So, if I have any influence, let me convince you of this: register to vote right now and vote in the upcoming primaries on June 4th, then in the general election on November 5th. Encourage everyone you know to do the same. And don't vote for anybody because you think someone who endorsed them is smarter or wiser than you. Vote for someone because you feel they'll do the best job for you.
JB Howick
A Concerned Citizen
